Generating structure in soft solids: heat stable milk chocolate

Addition of small amounts of glycerol to milk chocolate during the tempering stage can yield a product which exhibits enhanced mechanical strength and retards motion of the continuous phase (cocoa butter, a mixture of fats) of this dense granular suspension above the fat melting point. The mechanism...

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Main Authors: Jennifer A. Holian, Malcolm D. Bolton, D. Ian Wilson
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Elsevier 2025-01-01
Series:Current Research in Food Science
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Online Access:http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2665927125001182
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author Jennifer A. Holian
Malcolm D. Bolton
D. Ian Wilson
author_facet Jennifer A. Holian
Malcolm D. Bolton
D. Ian Wilson
author_sort Jennifer A. Holian
collection DOAJ
description Addition of small amounts of glycerol to milk chocolate during the tempering stage can yield a product which exhibits enhanced mechanical strength and retards motion of the continuous phase (cocoa butter, a mixture of fats) of this dense granular suspension above the fat melting point. The mechanisms responsible for this ‘heat stability’ were probed by an extensive series of experimental investigations. Addition of glycerol did not alter the fat polymorph or melting behaviour. The increase in bulk yield strength, quantified by indentation, was found to be proportional to the square of the volume fraction of glycerol. A quantitative explanation of this behaviour was not identified. The glycerol is not soluble in the fat phase so the possibility of a cage network arising from a capillary suspension mechanism was pursued. The evidence did not support a ‘normal’ capillary suspension model, and suggested that absorption of glycerol into the lecithin layer coating the particulate phase either resulted in a viscous ‘glue’ which retards contact motion or rearrangement, or displaces lecithin to allow the formation of sugar-glycerol bridges.
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spelling doaj-art-61da40f5a9ff48d2bc0ef34c477e5df92025-08-20T02:06:27ZengElsevierCurrent Research in Food Science2665-92712025-01-011010108710.1016/j.crfs.2025.101087Generating structure in soft solids: heat stable milk chocolateJennifer A. Holian0Malcolm D. Bolton1D. Ian Wilson2Department of Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology, Philippa Fawcett Drive, Cambridge, CB3 0AS, UKDepartment of Engineering, Schofield Centre, High Cross, Madingley Road, Cambridge, CB3 0EF, UKDepartment of Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology, Philippa Fawcett Drive, Cambridge, CB3 0AS, UK; Corresponding author.Addition of small amounts of glycerol to milk chocolate during the tempering stage can yield a product which exhibits enhanced mechanical strength and retards motion of the continuous phase (cocoa butter, a mixture of fats) of this dense granular suspension above the fat melting point. The mechanisms responsible for this ‘heat stability’ were probed by an extensive series of experimental investigations. Addition of glycerol did not alter the fat polymorph or melting behaviour. The increase in bulk yield strength, quantified by indentation, was found to be proportional to the square of the volume fraction of glycerol. A quantitative explanation of this behaviour was not identified. The glycerol is not soluble in the fat phase so the possibility of a cage network arising from a capillary suspension mechanism was pursued. The evidence did not support a ‘normal’ capillary suspension model, and suggested that absorption of glycerol into the lecithin layer coating the particulate phase either resulted in a viscous ‘glue’ which retards contact motion or rearrangement, or displaces lecithin to allow the formation of sugar-glycerol bridges.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2665927125001182Capillary suspensionsGlycerolIndentationLiquid bridgesRheologyWetting
spellingShingle Jennifer A. Holian
Malcolm D. Bolton
D. Ian Wilson
Generating structure in soft solids: heat stable milk chocolate
Current Research in Food Science
Capillary suspensions
Glycerol
Indentation
Liquid bridges
Rheology
Wetting
title Generating structure in soft solids: heat stable milk chocolate
title_full Generating structure in soft solids: heat stable milk chocolate
title_fullStr Generating structure in soft solids: heat stable milk chocolate
title_full_unstemmed Generating structure in soft solids: heat stable milk chocolate
title_short Generating structure in soft solids: heat stable milk chocolate
title_sort generating structure in soft solids heat stable milk chocolate
topic Capillary suspensions
Glycerol
Indentation
Liquid bridges
Rheology
Wetting
url http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2665927125001182
work_keys_str_mv AT jenniferaholian generatingstructureinsoftsolidsheatstablemilkchocolate
AT malcolmdbolton generatingstructureinsoftsolidsheatstablemilkchocolate
AT dianwilson generatingstructureinsoftsolidsheatstablemilkchocolate